Valentine’s Day still owns the On-Premise — but what consumers are craving, where they’re going, and what they’re ordering is evolving fast. Ground Signal analyzed consumer social mentions tied to Valentine’s Day, then matched those trends to sales and menu performance in the venues where those celebrations actually happen. The results? A cocktail of nostalgia, novelty, and shifting behaviors that every brand and operator should be watching.
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Flavor Forward:
Valentine’s Day still leans sweet —Chocolate (+438%) is more likely to be mentioned than usual — but palates are getting more nuanced. Elderflower (+52% growth) and Espresso (+62% growth) are rising in popularity, seeing more consumer mentions each year.
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Where Its Happening:
Fine Dining leads the conversation overindexing by 387% — but romance isn’t always buttoned-up. Karaoke (+148%) and Nightclubs (+56%) are also gaining traction, proving that energy and intimacy can coexist.
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What’s Moving:
When it comes to average volume per placement, Vodka outperformed the national average by +113% , with Tequila (+52%) and Rum (+38%) also delivering above-benchmark results in top Valentine’s Day venues
